


The Test

by leelikesthings



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Sci-Fi, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24121972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leelikesthings/pseuds/leelikesthings
Summary: A boy takes a life defining test.
Kudos: 1





	The Test

**Author's Note:**

> This is an English assignment that one of my friends said I should post, so I figured why not? Enjoy the reading!

He had been waiting his whole life for this. This moment defined his whole existence. His life would be decided with one pass, or one fail. The test. With a pass he’d go places, do things, finally be someone. A failure would kill him. After all, who needs a member of society that will do nothing? Won’t contribute? Those people were useless. Weak. Nothing. They were to be culled, for the better of society. There was only one thing worse. Worse than being a failure. Running. If you’re not good enough to pass, you’re not good enough to live. People who fail should just accept it. 

So here he was. It was almost time to start. To begin the test that controlled his fate. He glanced around the room he was in, for what seemed like the millionth time. Nothing has changed. Nothing. The same wooden flooring, the same glass coffee table, covered in magazines, none of them interesting. A trickling noise floated through the room, where the filter worked as those fish swam around, looking more carefree than he could afford to be right now. Comfortable looking chairs. They were deceiving. Those chairs felt like a slab of rock, instead of the plush pillows they appeared to be. He shifted in his chair. It was a liar. His eyes turned to the door. It wasn't big, just a simple double door made from polished mahogany. It’s presence was intimidating.

Like clockwork, the doors opened. His name was called from somewhere. Where? Doesn’t matter. He stiffly raised himself from the chair. What did he need to do again? Walk? Walking was good. His body started to move towards the open mahogany doors. He wasn’t in control of it anymore. Was he ever in control of it? The closer his legs brought him to that door, the larger it was. His hands were shaking. If he was someone else, watching him, he’s certain that he’d be trembling. Shaking like a leaf. 

The room he was about to enter was odd. He expected to look like a normal classroom. Fluorescent lights flickering on testing papers, where he would make use of his hundreds of hours of studying. Instead, something entirely different greeted him.

A cave. How the hell was there a cave on the thirteenth floor? It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense. His body still did it’s own bidding. It brought him into the room. Not room. Cave. He got a brief glance at his surroundings, before the door closed, a blanket of darkness quickly descending around him. Now he could only faintly see the stalagmites right in front of him, the stalactites above him we’re now lost in the darkness. Shrouded. He could hear faint dripping around him, from where? He didn’t know. He can’t see much. So what? This test needs to be taken. Failing wasn’t an option.

He stumbled, suddenly in control of his body once again. He continued to shuffle forward, shoes dragging on the uneven surface of the cave floor. Falling. He was falling. His knees hit the rough surface of the ground beneath him. They were stinging, no doubt scraped up, and bruised. Possibly bleeding. He took a minute to himself then. Getting himself together. What was he doing again? The test. Right. He pulled himself together, sliding the heels of his hands onto the ground, in preparation to lift himself off the floor. It was almost fleshy. 

Suddenly, he was heaving. God, what was that? His mind supplied the answer. A corpse. A rotting cadaver he was putting his hands on. He struggled to keep the acid in his stomach where it was meant to be. Taking deep breaths. Disgusting. A putrid smell was there now. He tried breathing through his mouth, in a sorry attempt of avoiding the smell. Big mistake. He could taste it now. Couldn’t get the flavour of decaying flesh, out of his mouth, his sinuses. He couldn’t help it. Everything was black.

With a gasp he woke up. Where is he? Who is he? What is he doing? He wants to know where he is. Okay. He opens his eyes. Bright. It’s bright. Almost too bright, it’s blinding. He glances around the room he’s in. He’s surrounded by glass on four sides. The floor and ceiling are both a sterile white colour. His clothes too. Stainless steel cuffs were around his wrists, though no chains trapped him in any position. His hands moved, from the bed they were laying on, to his neck. A collar. It was smooth, no latches or grooves. How did he even get this on? There was no sign of a place to open it. Just cool metal. It was likely stainless steel as well. At least his knees didn’t hurt.

A door opened. It wasn’t really a door. It melted perfectly with the rest of the glass walls surrounding him. A woman walked through, and it quickly became glass behind her. Seamless. 

He tried to ask her questions. His tongue didn’t work, the only sounds he could make were a garbled mess. He was unintelligible. His body froze. He couldn’t move. Her face was filled with a kind smile. The longer he looked, the more it transformed. Lips opening, making way to teeth. Her smile shifted into a menacing snarl. Teeth bared. He knew what she was thinking. Trash. Useless. Nothing. Failure. He was all those things. He failed. He must have. There was no other explanation.

That hurt. She wrenched his wrist toward her. A large syringe in hand. Where did that come from? He saw the light bounce on it, a glimmer heading from the base of the needle, to its tip. A drop of clear liquid fell from the end, as she pushed all the oxygen out of the syringe. Cold metal burst through his skin, and into his veins. 

He was convulsing now. It was agony. His body feels as if it was tossed into the center of the Sun. There was only fire, and pain. It continued for hours. Nothing but misery. He wished he was dead. Anything was better than this. It would continue on though. 

Through all the pain, his mind had only one thought, with shocking clarity. He shouldn’t have tried to run.


End file.
